Film reel drive



Sept. 23, 1952 A. c. ALBEE FILM REEL DRIVE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Feb. 16, 1951 INVENTOR. Hr'l'hu." E. H11] EB BY ATTORZVEK SHEET 2 A. C. ALBEE FILM REEL DRIVE 2 SHEETS f g 1 f9 Sept. 23, 1952 Filed Feb. 16, 1951 I N V EN TOR. Hrrhur [L H11] E e HZ/ M ATTORZVEX Patented Sept. 23, 1952 a 2.611.284.1 nause IVE Arthur-C; Albee, Hollywood, Calif., assignor to Radio Corporation -of America, .a corporation ofDelaware Application February 16, 1951, Serial N o. 21152 52 v e Claims. (o1. ii-sss) This invention-relates to motion pietureffilm apparatus, and particularly to a film magazine drive whereby th film'is woundon' a take up reel after passage equipment.

through a particular film" The general principle embodied inthemagazine or take-up reel drive presented in the present invention is disclosed in Collins co-pendingU. S.

application, Ser. No.,739,512,"file.d April 4, 1947,

and also in U. S. Patent No. 2,275,497 of March 10, 1942. Both the patent and the application discloses a take-up reel drive whereby eitherthe normal supply'reel'or normal take-up reel may be positively driven to take up filmthrough a series of gears either equal or unequal in number, the driving gear beingjconnected to either series by'the direction of rotation of'the film advancing mechanism.

The present invention improves upon'this type of reel drive to provide, in addition tofthe auto matic shifting of'the drivefrom one reel to 'the other, a positive and proper meshing of the drive gear with the'driven gears, anda positive shiftingaction, which not 'only'rapidly shifts Ithedrivegear, but maintains. the gears 'in I mesh during. the winding operation and under variations in the load thereon. The first feature is accomplished by a novel .pivoted T-shaped structure provided v with adjustable stops, while the'second. feature is accomplished by introducing a drag or tension onone side of the shiftable gear. M The principal object of the invention, therefo're,fis to facilitate the drivingof take-pp reel spindles;

Another feature of the inve'ntionis it provide an improved take-up ree1 spindle drive mecham'sm.

A further object of the invention is to provide a quick acting automatic gear shift which maintains the meshing gears in mesh in the correct amount, regardless of the variation in energy being transferred by the gears.

Although the novel-features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the appended claims, the manner of its organization and ,the mode of its operation will be better understood by referring to the following description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end View of a sound recorder with which the invention is associated.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the film drive mechanism embodying the invention and taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

- be grooved to accommodate a belt for rotating the pulley and which is provided with a serie of holes in which a pin l0 'ona disc ll may be inserted.- 'I'he-disc- H is mounted on" ashaft 12, as shown in Fig. 2, a similar shaft 13 extending through theother end 'of the housing 14; on; which is-a disc l5 similar todisc H andhaving a drive pin I6. The lower end Ofthe casing has anop'ening-lfl therein'through which extends 5 a gear on a shaft 2tand1rotated'by the advancingmechanism: f Mounted on a T- shaped" arm 23 pivoted on-a pivot shaft 24, is a large double drive gear 25 mounted for rotation on a shaft 26. IThej ea'r 25 is in mesh at all times with the gear 20,"; Above the gear 25. and also in mesh therewithi at all times, is a gear rotatable on'a shaft 3| mounted on the bracket 23. As shown in Fig. 3, the gear 30 has its sides in contact with'fraction washers 33 and 34, the pressure between the washers and the gear being determined by a spring 35 held .on the shaft 3| by a screw 32. Thespring 35' and washer 34 are separated by a bearing'collar 4 36, a similar collar 31 being positioned between the washer 33 and the end of a boss 39'on the bracket 23. The shaft 3! is held in fixed posi tion by a set screw 40. As shown in Fig.3, the double gear 25 has a right-hand section 42 which is in mesh with the gear 20, and aleft-hand'section 43 in mesh withthe gear 30.

The action of the series of gears .20, 25, and 30 is that rotation of the gear 20 in one direction, suchasshown by the solid line arrow in Fig; f'4, V will move the lower end of the bracket 23 to'the left carrying with it the gear 25, so. that it .will mesh with a gear 45 rotatable on a shaft 46 and which is permanently in mesh with a gear 41 on the driving disc shaft l3. The respective directions of these gears are indicated by the other solid line arrows. Rotation of the gear 20 in the opposite direction to that shown in Fig. 4 will bring gear 25 in mesh with a gear 49 rotatable on a shaft 50, gear 49 being permanently in mesh with a gear rotatable on a shaft 52, while gear 5| is permanently in mesh with a gear 59 mounted on the shaft l2 of disc H. The meshing of gear 25 with gear 49 is obtained when gear 29 is rotated in the direction shown by the dotted 5 line arrow thereon, the other gears being rotated in the directions shown by the other dotted line arrows.

This shifting of the gear 25 between the gears 45 and 49 has been accomplished in the past simply by mounting the gear 25 on the end of an arm.-; pivoted at 24. Although the transfer of gear 25- was accomplished in this manner, there was some lost motion therein, and during different loads on the gear caused by an increase in-thefilm. roll v diameter on the take-up reel, there was occasional disengagement of the gear .25 with its, driven gear. The driving gear 25 would also bounce ofi the gears 45 and 49 at times. i How.- ever, by placing a drag ontthe upper portion of the gear by the gear rotating against the friction of the discs 33 and 34,--the-.changeover, wasrapidly and positivelyaccomplished upon r0 tation of the gear 29 and'the mesh between gear,

25and its driven gear was maintained at all times 25,

25.with its respective driven gear. remains constant under allloads and cooperates with the holdback or drag gear 30 to insure not only a constant mesh at all times,- but also, that the degree of mesh will be proper under all load conditions. There is thus provided an automatic changeover Q drivefrom one reel shaft l2 toanother reel shaft l3. or vice versa, which will not only be quickly made upon rotation of the gear- 20 in either direction, but will provide. a constant, accurate, and

proper. mesh between the drive gear 25'and the-. v

gear to.be driven thereby at all times .under. all. loadconditions'.

Ilclaim:

1; A gear drive mechanism-adapted to. rotate either one of two gears having fixedaxes;com-.- prising apivoted bracket, a drive-gearsrotatably. mounted on theend, of. said.bracke t, said gearw being shiftableuwith. said bracket 'between' said fixedaxis gears,la gear for rotating said shiftable. drive gear and constantly in mesh therewith, a second gearmounted. on said bracket and;.con-: stantly in-mesh withsaid shiftabledrive gear and rotatably mounted. on. said bracket,- and friction, means for maintaining a drag ontherotation of? said'second gear,said second gear preventingfree rotation ofsaiddrive gear. during/the shifting thereof and applyinga forceto maintainsaid; drive gear in mesh. v I

2. A gear drivemechanism adapted to rotateeither oneof two gears having fixed axes, com-- prising-a pivoted bracket, aidrivegear=rotatably-- mounted on the end of said bracket,-,said, gear, being shiftable with said bracket.between-said.

4 fixed axis gears, a gear for rotating said shiftable drive gear and constantly in mesh therewith, a second gear constantly in mesh with said shiftable drive gear and rotatably mounted on said bracket, friction means for maintaining a drag on the rotation of said second gear, said bracket having extending arms, means being provided for contacting said. arms forhmitinggthe angle of movement of said brackehandthe. amount of shift of said shiftable gear.

3.1 A gear drive mechanism in accordance with claim,1, in which said friction means includes friction'discs in contact with said second gear I and resilient means for maintaining a predeterminedpressure between said discs and said second gear.

4. A gear drive mechanism comprising a pair of load gears having fixed axial positions,.a third gear having a fixed axial position and adapted to be rotated in either direction, a gear having an axisv movable -to two positions and in mesh with: said .third gear said .movable axis gear meshingwith. one of said pair of load gears when in;.one of-said two positionsand with the-other of said pair of load gears when in the other of. said two positions, a bracket on which said movable axis gear is movable, va gearrotatably mount-. edon saidbracket and ,in mesh with. said.mov-. able axis gear, and means for placing a drag on. the rotation of said last mentioned gear, said last mentioned gearpreventing free rotation of saidmovable axis gear duringmovement thereof andfor. applying .a .force tormaintainflsaid .movable axis gear, in mesh withsaid load gears.

5. A gear-drivemechanism comprising a. pair of load gears having fixed axial positions, a third gear having a fixed axial, position and. adapted to be rotated in either direction, a ,gear having, an axis movable to two positions and in mesh with.said-.third gear. said movable axis gear.

meshing with one of said pair of. load gears when in one of said two positions and withthe other of said pairof 'loadjgears when in. the other of. said ,two positions, a bracket on which said movable axis gear is movable, a gear rotatably mounted onsaid bracket and in mesh with said movable axis gear, means for placing a drag on the rota-j tioniof said last mentionedigear, said bracket be-j ing- T-shapedgstopmeans being provided and. I adapted tocontact the: ends thereof. to determine said two positions of saidmovable axis'gear;

6. A gear drive mechanism; iniaccordance with claim 4. in which last mentioned'means includes a frictiondisc on each'side of said lastmentioned gear and a springfor providing a predetermined pressure "between: said last mentioned gear and saiddiscs.

ARTHURC. ALBEE:

REFERENCES CITED 1 The ,following.,references are of record inthe. file 'of this patent:

UNITED STATES 'P ATENTS B'ern dt Mar. 10.19412,- 

